I am thinking of towing a guy's truck to a show and it is a couple hundred miles away. I would need to do this with a tow bar. The truck has a quadraplex transmission. I know these have an oil pump inside but I'm wondering if it is driven by the input shaft, when the engine runs, or by the ouput shaft when the transmission is turning internally? I could let the engine idle the whole way but that is several hours which I know would not hurt as long as the towing unit did not impede sufficient air through the radiator core.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

It will tow much easier if you pull the axles. You won't be running through any gear boxes,

and you won't have to run the engine.

Packer

But you will have one hell of a mess!

Not only that, but you will lose most of the gear oil that's in the wheel bearings as soon as you pull the axles. (if the truck has the old type seals with grease in the wheel bearings then this does not apply).

And if it has one piece axles, you'll have to make some sort of cover plates to keep dirt out of the wheel bearings during a several hundred mile trip.

If the truck has 2 piece axles you can remove the shafts and then replace the end caps to keep dirt out during the trip.

Not only that, but you will lose most of the gear oil that's in the wheel bearings as soon as you pull the axles. (if the truck has the old type seals with grease in the wheel bearings then this does not apply).

And if it has one piece axles, you'll have to make some sort of cover plates to keep dirt out of the wheel bearings during a several hundred mile trip.

If the truck has 2 piece axles you can remove the shafts and then replace the end caps to keep dirt out during the trip.

I know the truck has two piece axle shafts and heavy rears. It sure would be a lot of work to get this thing ready to transport without the engine running; greasy too. I would have a friend drive it, but I don't know about how mechanically sound the truck is. It has not been on the road for about 15 years or so but runs very well. Used to be a mixer truck but has had a flatbed for years and was last used for lumber delivery. Has always been kept inside so it's not in bad shape. I hope to get to paint it in the future as it is all original front to back except the bed, and without rust.

I know the truck has two piece axle shafts and heavy rears. It sure would be a lot of work to get this thing ready to transport without the engine running; greasy too. I would have a friend drive it, but I don't know about how mechanically sound the truck is. It has not been on the road for about 15 years or so but runs very well. Used to be a mixer truck but has had a flatbed for years and was last used for lumber delivery. Has always been kept inside so it's not in bad shape. I hope to get to paint it in the future as it is all original front to back except the bed, and without rust.

Rob

Just out of curiosity: What would the result be if a truck was towed long distance with both transmissions in neutral? I don't know how the oiling system works with these transmissions and if the auxilary section is splash lubricated, or lubricated by the oil pump in the main transmission. I know my "yellow dog" was towed over 100 miles at highway speed before I got it with both transmissions in neutral and it does not appear to be hurt. The truck is a real "singer" through the driveline but with the driveshaft disconnected from the brake drum, and in high gear against the governor, the transmission is quiet; This is at least to my untrained ear. If you put the aux in neutral, and shift the main, it is also quiet so I don't think the transmission is hurt. This truck as you know is just a yard jockey and sees no real usage off my property. I don't have enough stands to effectively get the tandems up off of the floor and run the driveline live.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Just out of curiosity: What would the result be if a truck was towed long distance with both transmissions in neutral? I don't know how the oiling system works with these transmissions and if the auxilary section is splash lubricated, or lubricated by the oil pump in the main transmission. I know my "yellow dog" was towed over 100 miles at highway speed before I got it with both transmissions in neutral and it does not appear to be hurt. The truck is a real "singer" through the driveline but with the driveshaft disconnected from the brake drum, and in high gear against the governor, the transmission is quiet; This is at least to my untrained ear. If you put the aux in neutral, and shift the main, it is also quiet so I don't think the transmission is hurt. This truck as you know is just a yard jockey and sees no real usage off my property. I don't have enough stands to effectively get the tandems up off of the floor and run the driveline live.

Thanks,

Rob

The reason you dont whant to tow with both in netural is same as any manual trans the main shaft is turning because the rear yoke is on that shaft and the main gears can not turn because they are in mesh with the counter shaft and it cant turn because it is mesh with the input gear and input shaft and it is in the clutch and it is not turning so if you have been towed very far it can burn up the bushing in the main gears on the main shaft of a single counter shaft trans and on a 2 counter shaft trans you will burn the thrust up and the gears on the main shaft .

The reason is because they cant get no grease up on them because the counter shaft gears are not turning and the grease in not high enough to get to the main shaft ,I have seen alot of trans burnt up from a new tow truck driver that did not know that .I seen one pulled from okc to tulsa which is 100 miles and the drive line still hooked up and the driver towed it to me and i showed it to him and told him to feel of it and he said i can feel it from here it is hot.You could spit on it and it who spit back at you. glenn

The reason you dont whant to tow with both in netural is same as any manual trans the main shaft is turning because the rear yoke is on that shaft and the main gears can not turn because they are in mesh with the counter shaft and it cant turn because it is mesh with the input gear and input shaft and it is in the clutch and it is not turning so if you have been towed very far it can burn up the bushing in the main gears on the main shaft of a single counter shaft trans and on a 2 counter shaft trans you will burn the thrust up and the gears on the main shaft .

The reason is because they cant get no grease up on them because the counter shaft gears are not turning and the grease in not high enough to get to the main shaft ,I have seen alot of trans burnt up from a new tow truck driver that did not know that .I seen one pulled from okc to tulsa which is 100 miles and the drive line still hooked up and the driver towed it to me and i showed it to him and told him to feel of it and he said i can feel it from here it is hot.You could spit on it and it who spit back at you. glenn

Thank you for the explantion Glenn. It makes good sense to me to not try this with your expanation. I could just pull the driveshaft at the yoke on the front differential and tie it up for the transport I suppose. Nothing other than the drive axles would turn then. I've got a "Tiger Tool" u joint puller that makes the job easy.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I agree-just disconnect your driveline at the axle,tape the end up good so the u-joint bearing caps can't fall off and tie it up to a crossmember or someplace where the end won't touch the pinion yoke while you're towing it. If it's a show truck it wouldn't be a bad idea to wrap the driveline in an old bath towel where you tie it up,and/or wherever it might be against a crossmember or the likes. You can also save a little rolling resistance by singling it out and running the tires close to max. (posted on sidewall) inflation.

I agree-just disconnect your driveline at the axle,tape the end up good so the u-joint bearing caps can't fall off and tie it up to a crossmember or someplace where the end won't touch the pinion yoke while you're towing it. If it's a show truck it wouldn't be a bad idea to wrap the driveline in an old bath towel where you tie it up,and/or wherever it might be against a crossmember or the likes. You can also save a little rolling resistance by singling it out and running the tires close to max. (posted on sidewall) inflation.

Speed

Thanks to all for the replys. I will disconnect the driveshaft before towing. It sure seems easiest that way. The truck is not a show truck by any means but simply unused and original for several years.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Thanks to all for the replys. I will disconnect the driveshaft before towing. It sure seems easiest that way. The truck is not a show truck by any means but simply unused and original for several years.

Rob

The driveshaft disconnect is the best choice Rob, as everyone says. Just be careful how you tie it up - the shaft will be turning and wearing on whatever you use to hold it up. And you don't want it to fall down while moving - it can be a big mess.